Puzzle #128 · Dec 20, 2025

Poople #128 Answer: RIFE to POOP

Poople #128 was the puzzle for Saturday, December 20, 2025. The starting word was RIFE, and the shortest ladder to POOP takes 6 steps. We found 30 different shortest paths with our word list. Open the hints below one at a time if you want a nudge, or reveal the full ladder at the end.

Poople #128 hints

Hint 1: Which letter changes first

The first move changes the 1st letter of RIFE, the R.

Hint 2: The next word starts with …

The word after RIFE starts with L. Halfway down, the ladder passes through a word that starts with L.

Hint 3: Show me the full ladder

RIFE → LIFE → LIFT → LOFT → LOOT → LOOP → POOP

Shortest ladder Expert

6 steps

Step count computed with our word list (ENABLE + SCOWL); the official game uses its own list.

Letter changes, step by step
StepFromToChange
1RIFELIFE1st letter R to L
2LIFELIFT4th letter E to T
3LIFTLOFT2nd letter I to O
4LOFTLOOT3rd letter F to O
5LOOTLOOP4th letter T to P
6LOOPPOOP1st letter L to P
Play this puzzle

All shortest paths from RIFE

Our word list allows 30 shortest ladders from RIFE to POOP, each 6 steps. They are folded so they don't give the answer away.

Show all 30 paths
  1. RIFE → LIFE → LIFT → LOFT → LOOT → LOOP → POOP
  2. RIFE → RIFT → LIFT → LOFT → LOOT → LOOP → POOP
  3. RIFE → RIFT → RIOT → ROOT → HOOT → HOOP → POOP
  4. RIFE → RIFT → RIOT → ROOT → LOOT → LOOP → POOP
  5. RIFE → RILE → PILE → PILL → POLL → POOL → POOP
  6. RIFE → RILE → PILE → POLE → POLL → POOL → POOP
  7. RIFE → RILE → ROLE → POLE → POLL → POOL → POOP
  8. RIFE → RILE → ROLE → ROLL → POLL → POOL → POOP
  9. RIFE → LIFE → LIME → LIMP → PIMP → POMP → POOP
  10. RIFE → RIFT → RIOT → ROOT → ROOF → POOF → POOP
  11. RIFE → RIFT → RIOT → ROOT → COOT → COOP → POOP
  12. RIFE → RILE → PILE → POLE → POME → POMP → POOP
  13. RIFE → RILE → ROLE → HOLE → HOLP → HOOP → POOP
  14. RIFE → RILE → ROLE → POLE → POME → POMP → POOP
  15. RIFE → RILE → RILL → PILL → POLL → POOL → POOP
  16. RIFE → RILE → RILL → ROLL → POLL → POOL → POOP
  17. RIFE → RIPE → PIPE → POPE → POME → POMP → POOP
  18. RIFE → RIPE → ROPE → POPE → POME → POMP → POOP
  19. RIFE → RISE → ROSE → POSE → POME → POMP → POOP
  20. RIFE → RIFT → RIOT → ROOT → ROOD → POOD → POOP
  21. RIFE → RILE → ROLE → ROLF → ROOF → POOF → POOP
  22. RIFE → RISE → ROSE → POSE → POSH → POOH → POOP
  23. RIFE → RIFS → RIMS → ROMS → ROMP → POMP → POOP
  24. RIFE → RIME → DIME → DOME → POME → POMP → POOP
  25. RIFE → RIME → LIME → LIMP → PIMP → POMP → POOP
  26. RIFE → RIME → RIMS → ROMS → ROMP → POMP → POOP
  27. RIFE → RIME → TIME → TOME → POME → POMP → POOP
  28. RIFE → RIFS → RIMS → ROMS → POMS → POMP → POOP
  29. RIFE → RIME → MIME → MOME → POME → POMP → POOP
  30. RIFE → RIME → RIMS → ROMS → POMS → POMP → POOP

Words one letter away from RIFE

These 14 words differ from RIFE in one letter. Common words are in SCOWL size 35; rare words are only in the ENABLE list, and the official game is more likely to reject them.

  • FIFE rare
  • LIFE common
  • RICE common
  • RIDE common
  • RIFF rare
  • RIFS rare
  • RIFT common
  • RILE common
  • RIME rare
  • RIPE common
  • RISE common
  • RITE common
  • RIVE rare
  • WIFE common

How hard was Poople #128?

By our count it rates Expert: fewest 6 steps. That makes #128 harder than 74% of the 420 puzzles so far.

More Poople puzzles

How many steps is Poople #128?

Poople #128 takes 6 steps. We count the fewest steps from RIFE to POOP with a breadth-first search over our four-letter word list (ENABLE + SCOWL), and the official game uses its own word list, so its count can differ from ours.

What was the starting word for Poople #128?

The starting word for Poople #128 was RIFE, on Saturday, December 20, 2025. Every Poople puzzle ends at POOP, so the start word is the only thing that changes from day to day. With our word list this one rates Expert. Hints for it are at the top of this page.

Can I replay Poople #128?

Yes. Press Play this puzzle on this page and the board loads with RIFE as the start word, with Undo, Restart and three levels of hints. You can also play unlimited random puzzles on the home page, or pick any other past puzzle from the archive.